So I'm unsure how it happened, but I found myself surfing online (read procrastinating) and I decided that opening a bookstore is a dream of mine. Now I haven't really thought about this in a calling sense, but rather "I like this concept" and "I could use an on-the-side business in addition to my ministry because I'll be dirt poor." Now I will say that I have been praying that God would help me to use my gift of desiring to give money away to people and organizations in need of support. Yet God revealed to me in prayer that despite what I may think about my financial situation, I will be considered rich because I live in the U.S., I have a degree(s) and I have a savings account. So please don't take this post as Gospel.
But, I must say that I have a great hobby in suggesting books to help people in their spiritual growth. And to my own astonishment at times, Christian bookstores and even the larger secular chain stores do not do justice to the great Christian works that are available to people. Katie Potter told me that at Urbana 03 that someone responded to criticism about spiritual books by saying, "if you reject God's working in people through books, you might as well forget the Holy Spirit." I'm guessing that would attributed to the oh so awesome Greg Jao who MCed Urbana 03 as well as 06, which I attended. And how many times do you walk into a Christian bookstore and find books with massive theological error, are culturally subjective and not inclusive, encourage temptation and fantasy (Christian fiction), and leaves important aspect of God's heart in their selection of books.
I would love to be in charge of selecting beneficial and biblical books that would truly help Christians and seekers alike. Books that would provide striking and gospel answers even when maintaining a secular voice.
How cool would it be to have a downtown bookstore? A bookstore that was like the well in Scripture? A place that was like the River of the Kingdom of God that was a source of spiritual water? How cool would it be to listen to people about their needs and then lead them to a helpful source? How cool would it be to welcome all people to use the space like a library. A place for people to gather and enjoy one another's company in Christian community. This would be a really fabulous enterprise, yet it would have to start with prayer. Many sources suggest starting with an online, in-home online bookstore. Something like that would be great for me to work on as a stay at home Mom. So this is definately not something for now, yet it is something for later. I would like to think that such a business could provide for my family's more pricey needs such as college, Sabbath vacations, etc. and of course would provide a large income to give away.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Monday, November 10, 2008
Secular Examples About Our Relationship With God
1. Obama
I know some of you are cringing that I cannot stop talking about him. The night before he was given all of Presidential briefs on security that would probably send chills down the average person's mind, I committed myself to praying for our new President. I gave thanks to God for answering the prayers of many black people, not just those of today, but those of many generations who had prayed for equality. And I found the example of Moses coming to mind. During the time of Israel's slavery, many people had been praying for their liberation--and it seemed that God wasn't doing anything. Why would a good God sit around until He felt like intervening, letting the ones that He loves experience suffering? But rather, God had a plan. While people were praying, a child was being born. While they cried for help, a chosen child was in Pharoah's favor. While they lamented, Moses was being prepared in the land of Midian. In the heat of the Civil Rights Movement, Barack Obama was born. Regardless of what you think about his politics, for many black people, he represents answer to prayer. People prayed for change at the time wanting a right-now answer from God (and that is a justifiable plea), yet God was planning an answer for down the road. I forget so often that prayer is just like this. God operates so differenly that we'd like Him to, but he absolutely hears those prayers and organizes a response--and it may be a lifetime in coming.
2. Mercy, my cat
For the past few weeks my sweet pea has not come to sleep in my bed or even in my room! And it just drives me crazy. For so long she wanted to be where I was at all times whether that means in the shower, in the bed, and yes, even on my desk when I'm working! So I was confused when I would find her laying on the cold kitchen floor or sitting on the counch all by herself when I was waiting for her to join me in the big comfy bed. Last night, I picked her up and settled her under the covers and gave her lots of rubbings and kisses so that she'd realize that I didn't hate her. I think our relationship with God is sometimes like that. We'll all of a sudden think that God has abandoned us or doesn't want us and we move away from the place of comfort to trying to get by on our own, knowing that our true happiness (and purrful living) is when we're with the one who loves us.
3. Weezer
So this weekend my entire family and my sister's boyfriend's family came to tailgate with us here at Duke. Mom made plans to meet at a museum on campus, yet 30 minutes before time to meet, the "in-laws" found that you couldn't park in that lot. Everything was dependent on meeting in that central parking lot. So I had a very quick easy fix to the situation, yet in the time of complete undoing, my sister didn't listen to a single thing that I had to say. And in one of my not so godly moments, I hung up. How can you refuse the wisdom of someone who has the knowledge you need in your time of struggle? We do this with God ALL the time. He has all of the answers in the world to guide us, yet we refuse His help in our efforts to impose corrections on the Master or to lament or run around like chicken with its head cut off when God can mend it back together.
I know some of you are cringing that I cannot stop talking about him. The night before he was given all of Presidential briefs on security that would probably send chills down the average person's mind, I committed myself to praying for our new President. I gave thanks to God for answering the prayers of many black people, not just those of today, but those of many generations who had prayed for equality. And I found the example of Moses coming to mind. During the time of Israel's slavery, many people had been praying for their liberation--and it seemed that God wasn't doing anything. Why would a good God sit around until He felt like intervening, letting the ones that He loves experience suffering? But rather, God had a plan. While people were praying, a child was being born. While they cried for help, a chosen child was in Pharoah's favor. While they lamented, Moses was being prepared in the land of Midian. In the heat of the Civil Rights Movement, Barack Obama was born. Regardless of what you think about his politics, for many black people, he represents answer to prayer. People prayed for change at the time wanting a right-now answer from God (and that is a justifiable plea), yet God was planning an answer for down the road. I forget so often that prayer is just like this. God operates so differenly that we'd like Him to, but he absolutely hears those prayers and organizes a response--and it may be a lifetime in coming.
2. Mercy, my cat
For the past few weeks my sweet pea has not come to sleep in my bed or even in my room! And it just drives me crazy. For so long she wanted to be where I was at all times whether that means in the shower, in the bed, and yes, even on my desk when I'm working! So I was confused when I would find her laying on the cold kitchen floor or sitting on the counch all by herself when I was waiting for her to join me in the big comfy bed. Last night, I picked her up and settled her under the covers and gave her lots of rubbings and kisses so that she'd realize that I didn't hate her. I think our relationship with God is sometimes like that. We'll all of a sudden think that God has abandoned us or doesn't want us and we move away from the place of comfort to trying to get by on our own, knowing that our true happiness (and purrful living) is when we're with the one who loves us.
3. Weezer
So this weekend my entire family and my sister's boyfriend's family came to tailgate with us here at Duke. Mom made plans to meet at a museum on campus, yet 30 minutes before time to meet, the "in-laws" found that you couldn't park in that lot. Everything was dependent on meeting in that central parking lot. So I had a very quick easy fix to the situation, yet in the time of complete undoing, my sister didn't listen to a single thing that I had to say. And in one of my not so godly moments, I hung up. How can you refuse the wisdom of someone who has the knowledge you need in your time of struggle? We do this with God ALL the time. He has all of the answers in the world to guide us, yet we refuse His help in our efforts to impose corrections on the Master or to lament or run around like chicken with its head cut off when God can mend it back together.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
A New Dawn...
I realized that electing a black President would be historic, but I never realized that it very well could be life changing.
Today my black students and other students of color can say that there is no glass ceiling to them acheiving their dreams. They may face barriers, but the ceiling is gone. Today if they did not have a good example of what it means to be a black man, they have it now. They have a representation of someone who looks like them being successful. How important is this when most residence of jails and prisons are black men? How important is this when a majority of black children grow up without their biological fathers or father figures in general? How important is this when black children are tempted to not "become white" by pursuing academics by thugs when they see the White House as the home of a black family?
And then there was the change in me. I would love to say that it was conversion that made me believe in racial equality. And to an extent, the Bible solidifying my beliefs on justice and God's affirmation of racial diversity, but today as I walk around campus at Duke and pass black men, no matter their station, I think to myself..."Oh, he or she can be the next President, that he or she can do anything a white person could do." That thought is replacing the other thought that has always sat in the back of my mind which my culture has taught me, "Is that black man dangerous to me, a white woman?"
Praise God for this! This is part of what forgiveness and reconciliation means in the Bible. Our sinful ways and our negative feelings are replaced with godly and positive thoughts. Finding this change in my thoughts, I don't think I ever realized just how racist ideologies had been deeply embedded in my mind. God, will you renew and change our minds in this transition of our democracy and society. And may we never deny the evil of slavery and racism in the past and in the present just because we have chosen a black President.
Today my black students and other students of color can say that there is no glass ceiling to them acheiving their dreams. They may face barriers, but the ceiling is gone. Today if they did not have a good example of what it means to be a black man, they have it now. They have a representation of someone who looks like them being successful. How important is this when most residence of jails and prisons are black men? How important is this when a majority of black children grow up without their biological fathers or father figures in general? How important is this when black children are tempted to not "become white" by pursuing academics by thugs when they see the White House as the home of a black family?
And then there was the change in me. I would love to say that it was conversion that made me believe in racial equality. And to an extent, the Bible solidifying my beliefs on justice and God's affirmation of racial diversity, but today as I walk around campus at Duke and pass black men, no matter their station, I think to myself..."Oh, he or she can be the next President, that he or she can do anything a white person could do." That thought is replacing the other thought that has always sat in the back of my mind which my culture has taught me, "Is that black man dangerous to me, a white woman?"
Praise God for this! This is part of what forgiveness and reconciliation means in the Bible. Our sinful ways and our negative feelings are replaced with godly and positive thoughts. Finding this change in my thoughts, I don't think I ever realized just how racist ideologies had been deeply embedded in my mind. God, will you renew and change our minds in this transition of our democracy and society. And may we never deny the evil of slavery and racism in the past and in the present just because we have chosen a black President.
The American People Have Spoken
Barack Obama has been elected President of the United States! I must explain that I have supported him, yet in the past I have also voted other ways. Obama is my candidate of choice, yet he doesn't represent all of my beliefs. I am not going to use this time to explain some of those beliefs.
I was very proud of myself that I spent painstaking hours this year researching who I would vote for. While in the booth, I was proud of my choices and that my votes were an expression of my beliefs, though yet again not a full expression. But I was surprised that I did not experience the emotions of voting for a black man for President.
However, when they announced that he had won, when they put "Elected President of the United States," I was overcome with emotion and had tears flowing down my cheeks and a heart that was full of hope and happy unbelief. We just elected a black man for President. After all our nation has been through, after our greatest problems of slavery, and even when discrimination is even evident in our Constitution, our country still proclaims that our government is both dynamic and strong. I admit that this is hard for me to believe, but I am thankful that Barack has taught me to hope again. I guess you cannot believe that change can really happen, but you can hope that it does--and hope is a fundamental Biblical principal. Hope means that we pray, we remain involved, that in our heartbreak we stay with the program. I am so thankful that Barack has lit a spark in me that makes me think that just maybe I can hope again. That just maybe if we care about the things that God cares about and live by faith, hope and love then just maybe, maybe good will prevail for a time in a world of darkness.
And I must then direct my thoughts to the One who made all of this possible. Lord, thank you that you have prepared such a man as Obama who seems almost out of this world in his ability to persevere. Lord thank you that no matter what happens, you are still God and still sovereign. Thank you that this election may teach the Church that we cannot put our hope and our security in who is in power, yet we can still hope. We can still be the Church.
I was very proud of myself that I spent painstaking hours this year researching who I would vote for. While in the booth, I was proud of my choices and that my votes were an expression of my beliefs, though yet again not a full expression. But I was surprised that I did not experience the emotions of voting for a black man for President.
However, when they announced that he had won, when they put "Elected President of the United States," I was overcome with emotion and had tears flowing down my cheeks and a heart that was full of hope and happy unbelief. We just elected a black man for President. After all our nation has been through, after our greatest problems of slavery, and even when discrimination is even evident in our Constitution, our country still proclaims that our government is both dynamic and strong. I admit that this is hard for me to believe, but I am thankful that Barack has taught me to hope again. I guess you cannot believe that change can really happen, but you can hope that it does--and hope is a fundamental Biblical principal. Hope means that we pray, we remain involved, that in our heartbreak we stay with the program. I am so thankful that Barack has lit a spark in me that makes me think that just maybe I can hope again. That just maybe if we care about the things that God cares about and live by faith, hope and love then just maybe, maybe good will prevail for a time in a world of darkness.
And I must then direct my thoughts to the One who made all of this possible. Lord, thank you that you have prepared such a man as Obama who seems almost out of this world in his ability to persevere. Lord thank you that no matter what happens, you are still God and still sovereign. Thank you that this election may teach the Church that we cannot put our hope and our security in who is in power, yet we can still hope. We can still be the Church.
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